Fastening device



Nov. 12, 1940.

s. s. BALL FASTENING DEVICE ,L a 7 8 22 21 k 21 INVENTOR Nov.. 12, 1940. s. s. BALL 2,221,125

FASTENING DEVICE Filed Feb. 10, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 'amae/ J 5 Patented Nov. 12, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 2,221,125 FASTENING DEVICE Samuel S. Eall, Jersey City, N J. Application February 10, 1940, Serial No. 318,226

12'Claims.

This invention relates to a fastening device, particularly to a device which is adapted to anchor tie-rods for concrete forms, to secure closures over openings, and like purposes, and

has for an object the provision of improvements in this art.

The fastening device hereby providedmay be readily connected with the end of a tie-rod used to brace retaining forms for poured concrete walls. It is disposed on the outside of the form on one or both ends of the tie-rod. It holds the tie-rod against endwise movement and holds the form sides in accurately spaced position. It may be readily removed to permit the form to be stripped from the wall and the ends of the tierods to be removed from the wall, as for example, in the manner disclosed in the patent to Pinaud et al. 2,095,714. The present fastening device is adapted to engage headed tie-rods and hold them securely in a yoke which readily slips over the head. This avoids the use of loops on the ends of the tie-rods which sometimes slip the hold of the fastening device when excessive tension is encountered.

The device comprises a base or anchor plate, a yoke and a wedge, all of simple and rugged form which may be inexpensively manufactured and which are dependable and convenient in service. It may be applied to various uses other than for holding concrete forms and closures in position. It may take various types of headed elements, as for example, a washer, button, nut, eye-pin, T-bar or I-bar flange and other forms with equal facility, certain slight alterations being made in the fastener, if desired, to adapt it for the particular employment in view.

The objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be made more apparent from the following description of certain exemplary forms of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse section showing one form of the fastening device applied to tierods for concrete retaining wall forms;

Fig. 2 is a top plan .view of one of the fasteners used as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation, the tie-rod being shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, similar to Fig. 3, but showing the parts before being drawn together;

Fig. 6 is a back View of the anchor plate alone;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a slightly modified form used in a different way;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the parts before they are pulled together;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a rear elevation of Fig. 7; 1

Fig. 11 is a rear elevation of the plate alone;

Fig. 12 is a side view of another modification; and

Fig. 13 is an elevational View looking toward the left side of Fig. 12.

Referring to the first embodiment, shown in Figs. 1 to 6, one of the fastening devices is shown on each side of a retaining form for a poured concrete wall. Here the device is adapted to be connected to the headed ends of the tie-rods I5 which pass through the boards lfi of the form. If a washer I1 is used'the heads on the rods may be small and conveniently can be formed by an upsetting tool on the job where the tie-rods are cut to proper length. The rods may also be bent, as shown at l8, and scored, as shown at B9, to assist removal of the ends of the rods after the forms are removed, all as explained in the above-mentioned Pinaud et al. patent. Holes are made in the boards to receive the ends of the rods and the washers and these holes may be closed on the inside of the form by buttons I5a which are welded or otherwise secured to the tie-rods. The buttons also act as spacers to hold the form sides apart.

The fastening device itself comprises an anchor plate 20, a yoke 2|, and a wedge 22. The

flat part of the plate is relatively large to cover I considerable area around anopening of the board or to engage the spaced bracing walers I60. behind the vertical studs lBb for firm anchorage, and may be provided with one or more strengthening flanges 23. The plate shown in Figs. 16 has one flange at its lower edge, that is, it is L-shaped. The fiat part of the plate is provided with an opening 24 for the rear portion of the yoke 2| and the flange 23 is provided with an oepning 25 for the wedge 22. The openings 24 and 25 are elongated and lie in a common vertical plane.

The yoke 2| is U-shaped with the back of the U on the outside and preferably inclined with reference to the plane of theplate to engage the inclined edge of the wedge. The two sides of the rear portion are provided with re-entrant shoulders 26 parallel with the plane of the plate for engaging the head of the rod I5 or such other enlargement as may be found on the end of the shank member which is disposed between the sides of the yoke.

The opening 24 in the anchor plate is enlarged at the bottom, as best shown at 21 in Fig. 6, to receive the head II of the shank member I5. Also the rear edge of the wedge 22 is formed with a recess 28 to receive the head when the parts are drawn together as shown in Fig. 3. In this position there is no likelihood of the shank member getting out of proper position.

The yoke member is formed with a recess 29 from one edge forming the shoulders 26 on one side. The other side and the uncut metal above the recess aremade sufficiently narrow to permit the yoke to be inserted in the opening 24 of the anchor plate. The width of the yoke across the shoulders, however, is greater than the width of the opening 2 3 to cause the shoulders to grip tightly against the back of the plate when the parts are fully drawn together by the wedge.

The lower front edge 30 of the yoke is wider than the thickness of the wedge 22 and the opening 25 of the flange 23 which the wedge enters and is cut at an angle to fit against the flange to prevent improper binding of parts when the wedge is driven in the yoke.

The back of the yoke connects the sides at one end. If desired, the sides may be connected at the other end also, as by welding a spacer between them at the upper edge. This still leaves the lower portion of the plates open for the introduction between them of the shank member 15 from the bottom.

If it is desired to keep the three parts of the fastening device in permanent assembly a pin 3| may be driven through the small end of the wedge after it is inserted in the flange 23. Or the wedge may be bent or an enlargement made on it.

When greater transverse strength or greater rigidity is desired, the anchor plate may be provided with another flange 35 spaced from and parallel to the flange 23, as shown in Figs. 7-13. The second flange has an opening 36 for the wedge in the same plane as the other openings.

The yoke and wedge of Figs. '7 to 11 are like those of Figs. 1 to 6. However, the fastening device is shown to be engaged with the head of a T-bar or I-bar section instead of a headed rod. The T-bar or I-bar may be welded or otherwise secured toa base adjacent the part which it is desired to anchor. This part may be a closure such as a manhole cover, a port cover, a hatch cover, or the like. Heretofore hinge bolts having nuts to be screwed up over the slotted edges of a hinged closure have constituted the speediest known construction for fastening such closures. r5 The present device can be secured much more rapidly and will be just as reliable as the former constructions.

The parts in Figs. 7 to- 11 which correspond to those in Figs. 1 to 6 are designated by the same reference numbers with a prime added. Thus there are found the anchor plate 20', the yoke 2 I, the wedge 22', the lower flange 23', the opening 24' in the anchor plate for the yoke, the opening 25' in the flange 23 for the wedge, the 5 shoulders 26' on the yoke for engaging the head II of the shank member Hi the yoke recess 29, and the flange engaging lower front edge 38' of the yoke.

In Figs. 12 and 13 there is shown a form which 70 is very similar to'that shown in Figs. '7 to 11 except that a pin ll" constitutes the head on the shank member which engages the aligned shoulders 26" of the sides of the yoke 2|. In this case the pin may be inserted in an eye of 7 5 the shank member and the shoulders on the yoke are constituted by the rear edges of the holes which are provided in the yoke sides to receive the pin. The anchor plate 20" may be carried on a closure 40 adapted to cooperate with an opening frame 4|. The pin I1" is provided with a keeper in the form of a chain and the wedge 22" may also be provided with some form of keeper if desired, for example a pin as shown in Fig. 3.

In Figs. 12 and 13 there are found the flanges 23" and 35" provided with openings 25" and 36 for the wedge. The anchor plate is provided with the opening 24" for the yoke.

In all forms the head element of the shank is first engaged with the shoulders of the yoke, after which the wedge is driven up in the yoke against the front face of the anchor plate to bring the parts together. When the rear end of the yoke is disposed between walers, as shown in Fig. 1, the fastening device may be turned sidewise to engage the yoke with the tie-rod and then turned back into the position shown. If the parts are not permanently assembled, the yoke may first be inserted in the anchor plate and the wedge then inserted in the yoke and flanges as described. After the parts have been tightened they will securely hold in position the concrete forms, closures or other members with which the fastening device may be used. When the fastening device is used with concrete tie-rods it may readily be released by driving the wedges back and lifting the anchor plate and yoke upward to pull the tie-rods out the lower edge of the yoke. Thereafter the ends of the tie-rods may be twisted by a pipe wrench or pliers to cause them to break oil at the scorings I9 within the concrete wall, the bent portions l8 of the rods preventing them from turning during the twisting.

The upset portions on the ends of the tie-rods may easily be formed on the job by an appropriate tool. They need not be large if washers are used and they will not strip ofi. Instead of using a heading tool nuts may be threaded on the ends of the rods.

This fastening device saves considerable tierod material as compared to devices requiring loops on the ends of the tie-rods; and to save even more material, when the walers and studs are thick, the yokes may be made long or supplemental yokes or links provided so that the tierods need extend only a short distance outside the form boards.

It is thus seen that the invention provides a fastening device which is simple, sturdy and convenient to use; which is adapted for securing tierods for concrete forms, for holding closures securely and for many other purposes. It is readily employed with headed members of various types and is more dependable than fastening devices which must be used with bent wires and rods. In addition it saves considerable tie-rod material.

While certain embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described it is to be understood that these forms are not mutually exclusive of each other but that features of one may be used so far as applicable with others; also that the invention may have various other embodiments within the limits of the prior art and the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A fastening device comprising in combination, an anchor plate provided with a flange and openings in the plate and its flange, a U-shaped yoke member passing through the opening in said plate, aligned parallel shoulders formed on the spaced sides of said yoke at a distance behind said plate for engaging the head of a shank member disposed between the sides, said shoulders being parallel to the plate and extending part way across the sides of the yoke, and a wedge member passing through the yoke and the opening in the flange on the front side of the plate.

2. A fastening device comprising in combination, an anchor plate provided with an opening, a yoke member extending through said opening and provided with spaced parallel shoulder members adapted to receive a shank member between them and a head carried by the shank member against the shoulders, and a wedge on the opposite side of the plate fitting between the yoke and plate.

3. A fastening device comprising in combination, an anchor plate having a vertically elongated opening therein, a forwardly extending flange on said plate disposed at right angles to the plane of said opening, said flange having an elongated opening in the plane of the plate opening, a parallel sided yoke member extending through said plate opening and presenting a passage from one edge for the entry of a shank member between the yoke sides, said yoke sides having transversely aligned shoulders adapted to cooperate with laterally extending elements on said shank, and a wedge member passing between the sides of said yoke member in front of the anchor plate and through the opening in the plate flange.

4. A fastening device adapted to engage a headed shank member, comprising in combination,.an anchor plate provided with an opening, a yoke member formed with spaced parallel sides passing through said opening and formed to engage the headed shank member behind the plate, and a wedge in the yoke in front of the plate.

5. A fastening device adapted to engage a headed shank member, comprising in combination, an anchor plate provided with an elongated yoke opening having an enlargement for a shank head, a parallel sided yoke member passing through said opening and engaging the headed shank member between its sides with the head in said enlargement when the parts are drawn together, and a wedge in the yoke in front of the plate.

6. A fastening device adapted to engage a headed shank member, comprising in combination, an anchor plate provided with an elongated yoke opening having an enlargement for a shank head, a parallel sided yoke member passing through said opening and engaging the headed shank member between its sides with the head in said enlargement when the parts are drawn together, and a wedge in the yoke in front of the plate, said wedge being recessed on the back edge to receive the head of said shank.

7. A fastening device adapted to engage a headed shank member, comprising incombination, an anchor plate provided with an opening, a yoke member formed with spaced parallel sides passing through said opening and shoulders for engaging said head, the head comprising a pin passed through an eye in the shank member, v

8. A fastening device as set forth in claim 7 in which the shoulders of the yoke member are formed as the rear edges of aligned holes in the spaced sides of the yoke member.

9. A fastening device adapted to engage a headed shank member, comprising in combination, an'anchor plate provided with an opening, a yoke member formed with a recess from-one edge defining a front portion and top sufliciently narrow to pass through said opening and a rear portion which is too wide and deep to pass through the opening, and a wedge member in said yoke in front of the anchor plate.

10. A fastening device as set forth in claim 9 in which said plate is provided with a flange and the lower edge of the yoke in front of the recess is shaped to fit against said flange.

11. A fastening assembly comprising in combination, a headed tie member, a plate member, a connecting member engaging the headed member and passing through the plate member, said connecting member presenting a loop on the opposite side of the plate member, and a wedge member engaging in said loop and acting against said plate member to draw said parts together.

12. A tightening fastener device, comprising in combination, an anchor member, a yoke member, and a wedge member, said anchor member including a part having an opening to receive the yoke member and providing a bearing surface for the Wedge member, said anchor member also including a forwardly extending part providing a wedge guide opening and a guide surface for said yoke member, said yoke member providing a bearing surface for the wedge member, and said anchor member and said yoke member each including elements for engaging subject parts which are to be affected by said fastener device. SAMUEL S. BALL. 

